What Am I Doing?
by mvtfan
Summary: When people get brutally honest with themselves and each other, things start to change. But will the changes come in time?
1. Chapter 1

Baroness Elsa Schrader stopped for a moment to catch her breath. It had been a week since the party she had talked Georg into throwing for her, and she finally had to take an honest look at several things.

The Georg von Trapp she had known as a friend for some time was not the same man who had been so graciously hosting her for weeks. Things had changed. He had changed.

During the times he had visited her in Vienna in recent months, he had accompanied her to all sorts of different events, seeming to enjoy her company, if not the parties and other social events themselves. She knew things like that didn't really interest him, and she also knew that he would not have hosted the party last week if she hadn't encouraged – no, pushed – him. It had been clear all along that he had little interest in putting up a front to impress others, which was what such events were all about, she admitted.

Elsa knew that, seeing Georg here in his own home, she was getting a different side of him. Also, the incident that had occurred the day she arrived had obviously made him more of a family man than he had appeared before. After Fraulein Maria had confronted him by the lake that day, he truly had an interest in his children and wanted to spend time with them whenever he was able.

Earlier, she had assumed that he would simply put his children in the care of their governess and then continue to accompany her to all the high-society events they had been attending thus far. But it was clear now that that was not to be, if it had ever been a possibility.

Elsa tried to remember when she had first met Georg. It seemed that they had been friends forever. He, Max, and Helmut, her late husband, had been childhood friends and had served in the navy together. When Agathe and Helmut were still alive, the four of them had socialized together with other couples occasionally. And then when Helmut's death came not long after Agathe's, she had run into Georg when he had been in Vienna on business, and they had begun seeing each other socially. It had really been a continuation of their ongoing friendship, and simply because they were longtime friends and moved in the same social circles, many people assumed the two of them made a good match and would soon be married.

She had been looking forward to having Georg as a travel companion and an escort to all the big parties, believing he would happily leave his children at home in the care of their governess and give them little thought when he was away. But as she recalled all she had seen in the weeks she had been his houseguest, she realized she was seeing a clear picture of the way Georg now chose to live his life. He wanted to be the hands-on father he hadn't been when he had been drowning in his grief over Agathe. And she doubted that he would care to do much traveling with her, or that she could ever get him to throw another party. He was still a gracious host to her and Max, but he clearly preferred to be at home with his children, not traveling or attending events that she loved, but that she knew he found boring.

What am I doing? she asked herself. She had obviously been pushing Georg to do things he normally wouldn't have, and she had been trying to force something to happen that she now realized never would. Maybe for some people, a long friendship was a good basis for a marriage, but not for Georg von Trapp, and not for her, either, she slowly realized. She knew he had married for love his first time, and if he ever married again, his second time would also be for love.

Elsa tried to ignore the slight tinge of guilt that she felt, remembering what she had said to Fraulein Maria the night of the party last week. She knew she should have kept her mouth shut, and that Georg would be flaming mad if he knew how she had meddled.

She had watched Georg and Maria over the weeks, noticing how they would sometimes exchange glances or smiles, and had wondered if something was brewing between them. But it hadn't really hit her until she watched them dancing the Landler together that night. She saw how overwhelmed both of them had been when the dance steps had taken them close to each other, so close that neither had been able to speak or to continue the dance.

At the time, all Elsa could think was that it was her party, and that the attraction between Fraulein Maria and Georg was going to ruin it. So when Max had invited Maria to join the party as his dinner partner, Elsa had seen her chance to salvage things. But Maria had fled back to the abbey that night, and ever since, Georg and the children had been moping listlessly, almost as if they were grieving again. And now that she was finally being honest with herself about Georg and her relationship with him, she realized how wrong she had been.

Elsa knew that there was no point in keeping on trying to force things to be right between her and Georg. They hadn't been right the entire time she had been staying at his home. She knew what she needed to do, and just had to think things through and decide how best to do it.

Max Detwiler was doing something he didn't normally do. Oh, he was sitting in Georg's house, eating and drinking, so all appeared normal enough. But he was watching two of his oldest and dearest friends, as well as seven youngsters he had known since they were babies, and knew that he had been wrong. Admitting such to himself was rare. However, the past week had been excruciating. Since Fraulein Maria had left the night of the party, it was as if Georg and the children were in mourning again. And Elsa had been out of sorts almost since they had arrived, weeks ago.

As much as he had pushed for Georg and Elsa to get together, he finally had to take a look at what was happening and see the truth. Though the two of them were dear friends, they were not in love with each other. And with the recent changes in Georg's attitude toward his children, they didn't even lead the same kind of lifestyle anymore. Georg was once again the family man he had been when Agathe was alive. Elsa enjoyed her world of parties and social occasions, and though she had made an effort to bond with the children, it hadn't worked. For Georg, at least, a dear friendship wouldn't be enough for a marriage, and their two different lifestyles would never mix.

What am I doing? Max asked himself. Maybe he needed to get his head out of the clouds and his nose out of other people's business for a change. If he were completely honest with himself, Max would have to admit that he had an ulterior motive in hoping to see his two dear friends marry. Sure, he thought they would make great companions for each other, or at least he had in the beginning. But he had also figured that, once married, Georg and Elsa would spend more time away than at home, and he could then work with the children and get them entered in the upcoming festival. Georg was adamant about not having his family sing in public, but if he was away, Max thought he could probably work things out for the children to have an exciting career in music.

Should he say anything to either of them about what he had observed? Max knew his own meddling had pushed Georg and Elsa together more than they probably would have been. And now it was so hard to watch two people he cared deeply for, knowing they really weren't happy.

Max had already tried to cheer the children up, but it hadn't worked. They all felt Maria's absence, and it was as if the light had gone out of their lives. Max hadn't mentioned this to anyone, but he strongly suspected that Elsa had done something the night of the party that had prompted Maria to leave. He might not ever know the truth, but all signs pointed to Elsa. Sitting back in his chair, Max sighed, determined to just keep watching for the time being.

Captain Georg von Trapp couldn't seem to collect his thoughts. With Elsa and Max as his houseguests, he had stayed busy trying to be a good host, but he finally retreated to his study just to think. What on earth was he doing?

He felt like his life was racing headlong toward disaster and that it was running him instead of the other way around. Where did I lose control? he wondered.

First, he took an honest look at his relationship with Elsa. Sure, they had been good friends for almost as long as he could remember. And when they had lost their spouses fairly close together, they had been able to share their grief and slowly regain some meaning in their lives. It had been nice, it had been fun, and he still saw her as a dear friend, but that was not enough of a basis for a good marriage, at least not for him.

Georg readily admitted that his own priorities had changed. The day he had come home to find that Fraulein Maria had introduced his children to fun, laughter, and music, and she hadn't been the least bit shy about telling him how he was failing as a father, something in him had shifted. Now, rather than keeping company with Elsa, he preferred to be at home with his children. It had been awkward at first, but he had persisted in getting to know them again. He was heartbroken when he thought of how he had pushed them away in his grief for Agathe, but he was determined to make up for lost time and truly be a family with them again.

He knew Elsa had been thinking of him as a good travel companion, imagining all the trips they would take together when they were married. And though he despised parties like the one she had talked him into hosting last week, he knew she enjoyed such events, and he had at one time been agreeable to accompanying her to them. But now he didn't think he could force himself to get through another one. He had hated every minute of the debacle at his house last week, except for hearing his children sing, and dancing with Fraulein Maria.

Fraulein Maria. He had tried not to even think about what had happened during their dance. At first, he had been just playing along when he had seen Maria trying to teach Kurt the Landler. It had been another way of reconnecting with his children, thinking he would show them how the dance was done. He had taken Maria's hand and easily stepped into the dance, remembering more than he had thought he would. It had been light-hearted fun, at least until the dance steps had brought him and Maria close to each other, so close that they couldn't avoid looking into each other's eyes, leaving them both breathless and unable to continue dancing.

Georg was still trying to figure out what had happened in that moment. Whatever it was, it had shaken him to his core. The young woman he had had little use for on her first day with his family had gradually become a friend and an ally, doing all she could to encourage him and the children to rebuild their relationship. Over the weeks, there had been times that the two of them would share glances and smiles, and though he hadn't realized it at first, her presence was warming his heart. He knew she truly loved his children, and he was finally having to face the fact that he truly loved her!

Though the note Maria had left for him last week had stated that she missed her life at the abbey too much, he was certain there was more to her leaving than that. She had shared with him and the children that she had been something of a misfit at the abbey, and wasn't entirely sure that life as a nun was right for her. Something had happened to send her away, he was sure, but he had no idea what. He was certain she had been as shaken as he had been when their dance steps had drawn them close together. Was that all it was? The Maria he had come to know never would have run away, even from something that overwhelming and confusing. After the dressing down she had given him in front of the lake that day, he knew she wasn't shy about standing up to anything or anyone. She was so honest and unafraid to speak her mind, definitely a breath of fresh air in his life of high society, dictated by restrictive rules of etiquette.

Georg realized that he had been nearly as despondent as the children had been after Maria had left. He knew he needed to try to get her to return to the villa for the children's sake. And he was slowly realizing that Maria was the only one who could fill the empty space in his own heart.

One thing at a time, Georg decided. First, he needed to have an honest talk with Elsa and put an end to their farce of a romance. He cared for her as a dear friend, but that was as far as it went, and he believed the same was true for her. And no matter how hard she tried, he was certain he would never again be able to force himself to attend another of those parties she enjoyed. Their lifestyles just did not match anymore, if they ever had.

Once he settled things with Elsa, then he would try to contact Maria and get to the bottom of what had sent her running. And he knew he would do everything in his power to get her to return. He and his children needed her, much more than any of them had realized until she left.

Maria Ranier looked around her small room at Nonnberg Abbey, a little shaken from the conversation she had just had with the Reverend Mother. The elderly nun had point-blank asked Maria if she was in love with Captain von Trapp, and had gone on to assure Maria that the love between a man and a woman was holy, too, and encouraged Maria to return to the von Trapp home.

It had been clear to Maria and most of the other nuns at Nonnberg for some time that she was simply not cut out for the kind of life they led. She was such a free spirit, so honest and expressive. The cloistered life of a nun just wasn't a good fit for her, as Sister Berthe had been insisting for a long time.

But did that mean that marriage and a family was the right path for her? Maria couldn't even think that far ahead. She had spent the past week in seclusion, praying as hard as she could, but still had no answers. She knew what the Reverend Mother thought she should do, but she just wasn't ready.

Was it time to give up her dream of being a nun? There were times she had wondered what she was doing, trying so hard to force herself to fit into the way of life at the abbey. While she had been a bit nervous about going into the outside world to serve as governess to the von Trapp children, once there, she had felt like she was finally in her element. Caring for the children, teaching them to sing, and even reminding their father that he needed to actually be a father to them had felt right. She hadn't had to force anything.

And she definitely hadn't forced whatever had happened between her and Captain von Trapp. Maria had very little experience with romantic relationships, outside of a few casual dates during her teen years, so she hadn't understood what was happening between her and the captain. She had been horrified at first at the way he had treated his children, but she had come to respect and admire his sincere efforts to reconnect with them. It still amazed her that he had actually listened to what she had said that day by the lake.

But the feelings she dealt with now went far beyond admiration and respect. She had noticed how her heart had warmed whenever he would smile at her, but at the time, she hadn't really thought much about it. Dancing the Landler with him the night of the party, though, had knocked her completely off balance.

Maria had enjoyed trying to teach Kurt what she could remember of the Landler. And when Captain von Trapp had stepped in to help her show Kurt the steps, she had been caught off guard, but played along. The dance was supposed to just be something fun to show the children, certainly nothing serious. Dancing in his arms had felt so natural. But when their dance steps had drawn them close together, Maria had been shocked. She was unable to avoid looking into the captain's eyes, and was left breathless by the intense feelings she saw there.

When Herr Detwiler had insisted that she join the party, she had been flustered even more, knowing she did not own anything appropriate to wear. Still, she had gone upstairs to her room to at least try to find something she could change into. But minutes later, she was startled by a knock at her door, and opened it to find Baroness Schrader.

At first, the woman had come across as simply wanting to help Maria choose an appropriate dress to wear. But as their conversation went on, Maria slowly began to realize that the baroness clearly didn't want her at the party. And once she had accused Maria and the captain of being in love with each other, Maria had cringed with embarrassment. Feeling even more uncomfortable, she knew she had to leave. She had quickly packed her few belongings, written a short note to the captain to explain that she was returning to the abbey, and darted out of the villa before she could embarrass herself further.

Maria knew she had acted impulsively that night. No doubt the children had been hurt when she had disappeared, and she also knew it was very unprofessional of her to walk out on the job she had taken. But all she could think about was getting out of there, and getting back to the abbey, where she felt safe.

It had only been a week since she had left, and she knew that sooner or later, she needed to try to make things right with the von Trapp family. She felt better after her conversation with the Reverend Mother, but still not ready to go back to the von Trapp home. She decided she would sleep on it tonight, pray a bit more, and decide how to handle things in the next few days.


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa paced for a few moments, trying to decide what to do first. Talk to Georg? Pack her belongings? Ask Max for a ride to the train station? She continued to pace, her stiletto heels clicking on the marble floor. Finally, she decided she needed to talk to Georg first and make things as right as she could.

Max sat on the terrace, still eating and drinking, as well as puzzling over all he had witnessed in Georg's home in recent weeks. He still didn't think he would mention what he had noticed, but he would definitely back off from continuing to push Georg and Elsa together. He sat up as he heard Elsa's high heels approaching from inside the house.

"Max, do you know where Georg is?"

"Hmm. I would think he's somewhere in the house. The children are walking by the lake and I didn't see him go with them. Maybe check his study? What's up? Are you going to talk him into throwing another party?" Max was halfway kidding, but something about Elsa's expression made him sit up and take note.

Elsa drew a deep breath and shook her head. "Max, I really should talk to Georg first, before I tell you this, but….. oh, well. This just isn't right."

Max frowned. "What isn't right?"

"Georg and me. I finally see that we've been trying to force something that just isn't meant to be. I want a travel companion and someone to take me to parties and help me throw parties, and he hates all that. He's different here than he was in Vienna. He's so much more involved with his children, while I just can't relate to them, no matter how I try. So many people seem to think we're the perfect couple, but I've come to realize that we are very much mismatched in what we want out of life. He wants a mother for his children to complete his family; I want someone to travel with and give parties…." Elsa trailed off, realizing she was babbling.

Throwing his resolve to keep quiet aside, Max gave her a knowing look. "I wondered how long it would take one of you to figure it out."

"What? Max, you've been pushing us to get married from the beginning! What do you mean?"

Leaning back in his chair, Max chuckled. "Once in awhile I do know how to be quiet and watch. And what you just described is exactly what I've been seeing ever since we arrived here! Elsa, you are quite a lady, and a gracious one at that, as well as very intelligent. You're like a fish out of water here, as is Georg in Vienna. So, what's the plan now? Are you going to leave after you talk to him? Do you need a ride to the train station?"

"I haven't packed yet, but I will as soon as Georg and I talk. And if I'm not too late to catch the evening train to Vienna, I would very much appreciate a ride. Thank you."

Elsa turned on her heel and walked back into the house, finally feeling right about what she was doing for the first time in weeks.

Georg stood up and walked across his study to the bar, then changed his mind. He needed to keep a clear head while he talked with Elsa, something alcohol wouldn't give him. Opening the door to his study, he headed for the kitchen to get himself a glass of ice water.

Elsa found the door to Georg's study open, but no sign of Georg himself. Oh, well, she reasoned, she would go up to her room and begin packing, a project that was sure to take awhile. She really did want to catch the last train out to Vienna tonight, so she knew her time was limited.

Downing a glass of cold ice water, Georg tried to relax. In spite of how badly he needed to settle things with Elsa, he really wanted to go find Maria first. But he knew that was out of order. He needed to put things to rest with Elsa and send her home before he contacted Maria. Still, he was already trying to decide how best to reach her. Should he go to the abbey? He was reasonably sure that was where the children had been one day earlier in the week, though they had tried to convince him they were berry-picking. He wished they had felt safe to tell him the truth, but if his hunch was right and they had been to the abbey in search of Maria, he was pretty sure they would have told him if they'd been able to speak with her. He had let the matter go at the time, deciding there was no point in grilling them any further.

Georg put his empty water glass on the kitchen counter, then headed out to the terrace. He found Max sitting in his usual spot, eating, drinking, and reading, but he was alone.

"Max, have you seen Elsa?"

"She was just out here looking for you," Max responded nonchalantly, determined not to give anything away. "I told her I figured you were somewhere in the house and to try looking in your study."

Elsa was looking for him? Georg wondered what was up. No matter what Elsa came up with in an effort to convince him otherwise, he was determined to make a clean break with her now that he had had time to look at things objectively and think clearly. He forced himself to put thoughts of Maria aside and concentrate on doing right by Elsa as best he could.

Upstairs, Elsa snapped one of her suitcases shut. She always packed in an organized manner, making it fairly easy to pack to leave. She carefully looked around the room she had occupied during her stay at Georg's home, making sure not to miss anything. Surprisingly, she realized she didn't feel the least bit sad. It was more like a tremendous sense of relief. She wondered how long she had been trying to force things with Georg. At some point, their easy friendship had evolved into an attempt at a romantic relationship, and ever since that shift, things hadn't been right. They had supported each other through their shared grief over the losses of Helmut and Agathe, but that had been temporary. Elsa found that she was actually looking forward to getting back home to Vienna and reconnecting with her friends there, and of course, attending more parties.

Standing back and taking a look at her work, Elsa decided she had made a pretty good start. More than half her bags were packed and shut, meaning it shouldn't take her that long to finish, once she talked to Georg. She left her room and started down the stairs, in search of him once again.

He walked back inside the house as Elsa descended the stairs. "There you are," they said to each other simultaneously.

Georg looked up and gave her a questioning look. "Max said you were looking for me?"

"Yes, Georg. Can we talk, please?"

Gesturing with his head toward his study down the hall, Georg followed Elsa, knowing he was finally doing what he should have done weeks ago, preferably before that blasted party that had turned into a disaster, between his altercation with Herr Zeller and Maria's departure, not to mention just dealing with all the high-society people he had been obligated to invite.

Once Elsa was seated on the sofa in his study, Georg leaned against the front edge of his desk, intending to make this as brief and painless as possible.

"Elsa, I've finally had to get painfully honest with myself, and with you as well," Georg began. "You and I are great friends, and have been for a very long time. It was truly a gift that we were able to help each other through losing our spouses, and I thank you for that. But we have both moved on from that now, and it's clear that we want different things from life."

Elsa felt relief, seeing where the conversation was going. "Georg, I'm ready to go home. I've been upstairs packing, and once I finish, I believe I should easily make it to the train station in time to catch the night train to Vienna. You have been a most gracious host, and I've enjoyed our time together, too, but now that I've seen you here, in your home, I also see that we are going in drastically different directions. You are truly a family man, and you are right that your children need a mother, but that job isn't for me. I want to go back to Vienna and go to parties, which I know you hate. Thank you so much for giving me the party I asked for last week, but I know that isn't your thing, and that you probably despised every minute of it."

Georg chuckled slightly, not needing to admit she was right. "Elsa, I was going to try to let you down gently, but you took the words right out of my mouth. We are good friends, and that's the way we should have stayed. I cannot consider marrying you, when I know you'll want to travel and attend parties and other social events, when I simply want to be at home with my family."

"I know. Like you, I finally had to be brutally honest with myself about where we were going, and I realized nothing was right. Truly, I am ready to go home. Max said he will take me to the train station once I finish packing."

Georg released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank you, Elsa, for being so gracious, and so honest. Are you really okay with this?"

Elsa nodded. "Completely. This is what's right for us, not trying to force something that would never be. I will go back upstairs and finish packing, and then be on my way home before night."

Standing, Elsa, gave Georg a light kiss on the cheek and a gentle hug before leaving the study. Once back upstairs in her room, she resumed packing with a renewed sense of relief.

Georg went back outside to find Max, who still sat on the terrace, eating, drinking and reading. Hearing Georg's footsteps, Max turned to him with a questioning look.

"Max, Elsa is going home. She and I are not going to pursue a relationship any further, other than remaining friends. I think the pressure is off both of us, now that we've been honest with ourselves and with each other. I believe she said you would take her to the train station shortly?"

Max nodded. "I wondered how long it was going to take one of you to figure it out," giving Georg the same line he had said to Elsa a short time ago.

Georg frowned at him. "Figure what out? Haven't you been after me to marry Elsa for ages?"

Max chuckled. "Yes," he admitted, "but as I told Elsa awhile ago, even I know how to sit back and watch once in awhile. What I've seen with you two since we got here has sure made it obvious that you're not a good match after all. I'm glad you both realized it."

Georg shook his head and chuckled slightly. It was beginning to look like everyone except himself and Elsa could see what was right in front of their noses.

"I suppose I'm going to need to be on my way soon, too, since you won't need a chaperone anymore," Max went on to say.

Georg stopped, not sure how to explain what he had in mind after Elsa left, about trying to bring Maria back. One thing at a time, he told himself. "Don't leave just yet," he said to Max.

Keeping his mouth shut, Max smiled to himself. Yes, it seemed that he had been on the right track all along. If he was right, and he would bet everything he owned that he was, Georg would soon need him as a chaperone again, if he could get Maria to come back to the villa.

Elsa was packed and on her way to the train station long before nightfall. Georg was more relieved than he had expected to be, so thankful to have ended that chapter before attempting to do anything about Maria.

Pacing in his study, Georg tried to decide what to do about Maria. Even if she didn't love him as he loved her, even if he couldn't convince her to come back, they still needed to talk. Georg wanted to know what had sent her running to the abbey the night of the party.

He thought about going to the abbey to see her, but was afraid that would put her on the spot and she wouldn't feel comfortable talking with him. Now that he had finally gotten honest with himself and Elsa, he needed to do the same with Maria. He had to find a way to communicate his feelings to her but somehow leave the next move up to her.

Finally, he thought he had decided on the best solution. He left his study long enough to instruct the cook to go ahead and prepare dinner for the children, adding that the baroness had left, and that Herr Detwiler would be returning late, and to save some dinner for him to eat once he was back. Georg then retired to his study, leaving instructions with the household staff that he was not to be disturbed.

Sitting at his desk, Georg took out pen and paper, deciding that his best option was to lay everything out in a letter to Maria.


	3. Chapter 3

My dearest Maria,

I don't even know where to begin with all I need to say to you. I pray that when you receive this letter, there will be much you will need to say to me, too. Please indulge me as I pour out my heart to you in writing, for I don't know what else to do.

My children and I have been in nearly a state of mourning again since you left us last week. Gretl and Marta cry a lot more than usual, and nothing I say or do will comfort them. They are crying for you, their dear Fraulein. Liesl misses having you as her confidante. Louisa, Brigitta, and the boys learned so much from you during the time you were here, and since you left, they have lost all interest in learning. Brigitta hasn't even opened a book within the last week. They all feel your absence deeply and want you to know that you are missed.

The night of the party, when you and I danced the Landler, something happened between us that I have been trying ever since to explain, but alas, I cannot. Please forgive me if I am wrong, but I believe you felt it, too. Maria, please come back so we can at least talk about what has been happening between us. I apologize if I scared you away with the intensity of everything that night; please be assured that I was as thrown off balance as you were. I had hoped we could talk later that night, after the party had ended, and I was heartbroken later to learn that you had left. Please, Maria, at least talk with me and let me know what happened that made you want to leave us. Your note said you missed your life at the abbey too much, but, considering everything you had told us about not fitting in there and not being sure it was the right life for you, plus how well you adapted to being a part of our family, please forgive me, but I am not sure I believe you left us because you were homesick for the abbey.

Elsa went home to Vienna this afternoon, home to stay. She and I both finally chose to be honest with ourselves and with each other, and faced the fact that, though we are good friends and have been for a long time, we are definitely not cut out to be a couple. She wants a travel companion and a party escort, while I prefer to be here at home with my family, and I have you to thank for that change in me. You opened my eyes to my children's needs, and I have truly loved rebuilding my relationship with them. And I despise those parties that Elsa loves, including the one she talked me into hosting for her last week! Elsa and I parted on friendly terms, realizing our differences would never allow us to have a good marriage, though we had discussed the possibility of marrying at some point. Also, we are not and never were in love with each other. Max had quietly watched what was going on between us and had figured things out long before Elsa or I did. It is a great relief not to be trying to force something to happen that was never meant to be.

As I said above, Maria, my children have been pining for you for the past week, and I must admit that I have been, too. It took me awhile to realize it, but I have fallen deeply, irreversibly in love with you! You are such a breath of fresh air in my life and the lives of my children, with your honesty and openness and joy in living! You are one of the most honest people I know, never afraid to speak your mind, which is yet another reason why I was bewildered when you left us. If something was bothering you or had frightened you, I would have expected you to tell me about it instead of running away from us. Again, please forgive me if I did anything to make you want to leave us. That was never my intention.

Maria, even if you feel nothing for me, please come back so we can at least talk. I promise I will not pressure you into anything or make you feel awkward or unwelcome. You are always welcome in my home, as you have truly been a part of our family for some time now.

I miss your smile, your laugh, the way your beautiful blue eyes sparkle when you are happy, and so much more about you. Please believe me when I tell you that I love you and need you back in my home and in my life.

All my love,

Georg von Trapp

Before he could change his mind or second guess half he had written, Georg folded the letter and sealed it in an envelope, which he addressed to Maria Ranier at Nonnberg Abbey. And then, not wanting to wait till morning to send the letter by post, he found one of his housemen and asked him to deliver it to the abbey immediately. Georg knew he was far too impatient, but he did not want to wait a second longer than necessary to contact Maria and try to make things right with her.

The letter written and on its way to the abbey, Georg went upstairs to see that his children were turning in for the night. He tucked Marta and Gretl into bed and kissed them goodnight, then left the older ones with a reminder to turn out the lights in about an hour.

Max had returned earlier from delivering Elsa to the train station. He and Georg had a late dinner together before Max decided he was sleepy and would get ready for bed, too. He bid Georg goodnight and turned to go upstairs to his room. Georg did not mention the letter he had written to Maria, preferring to keep that to himself for the time being. Considering how easily Max had figured out what was, or rather, what wasn't, going on between him and Elsa, he wouldn't be surprised to learn that Max had also picked up on his feelings for Maria. But he had no intention of discussing any of that with Max at the moment. He would keep his word to Maria that he would not pressure her into anything. He had made it clear in his letter that the next move would be hers, and her choice alone.

With everyone else in the house asleep, Georg knew there was no point in trying to go to sleep himself. He was far too wound up, wondering if Maria had received his letter tonight, or if it had arrived at the abbey too late, after she was already asleep. He began to pace, but then decided to take a walk outside to get some fresh air.

Maria and the sisters at Nonnberg Abbey had finished their dinner when the Reverend Mother stopped Maria outside the dining hall and quietly asked her if she had thought anymore about returning to the von Trapp home. Maria shook her head, telling the Reverend Mother that she was too ashamed of her actions and that returning would be embarrassing.

"My child, if you love Captain von Trapp, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Love is a beautiful gift from God, and you have a lot of love to give," the elderly nun told her.

"I know. But it will just be too awkward if he doesn't return my feelings. And with the baroness there…" Maria trailed off, not wanting to voice the thoughts that had been churning in her mind almost constantly since she had been back at the abbey.

Maria and the Reverend Mother were standing in the hallway still when one of the other nuns ran up to Maria with an envelope in her hand.

"Maria!" the sister said, nearly out of breath. "This letter was just delivered here for you!" She handed Maria a small white envelope before darting back down the hallway.

Caught completely off guard, Maria looked up at the Reverend Mother. "Who would be sending me a letter, and why at this hour, instead of with the mail during the day?"

The Reverend Mother gestured to the envelope Maria held. "There's only one way to find out. Open it and see."

Without turning the envelope over, Maria opened the seal on the back, pulled out several sheets of paper, and began to read.

The Reverend Mother watched Maria's face, seeing her eyes widen, and within seconds, tears streaming down her face.

"My daughter, what is wrong?" the Reverend Mother asked, worried. "What has upset you so?"

Unable to speak, Maria finished reading Georg's words before handing the letter to the Reverend Mother.

The elderly nun began to smile as she read the captain's heartfelt words to the woman he loved. Once she had finished reading Georg's letter, she put her hand on Maria's shoulder.

"Go to him, Maria," she said, still smiling. "He has laid out all his feelings for you right here. You have nothing to be ashamed of or afraid of anymore."

Still unable to speak, Maria swiped at the tears on her cheeks and nodded.

"Come on," the Reverend Mother said as she began to walk down the hall. "I have a pretty new dress you can wear, one that our newest postulant brought earlier today. If you hurry and change and then pack your things, you can be on the last bus out of here tonight."

Georg's aimless wandering and pacing had led him to the gates of the villa. He knew he was being ridiculous and still far too impatient. Even if Maria had received his letter this evening, it would probably take her awhile – a few days, at least – to respond. He wondered if she would answer his letter, simply return to the villa, or not answer at all. He didn't want to think about that last possibility, but he had begun to fear that his words might have overwhelmed her. He knew he would be on pins and needles until he heard from her.

He opened the large wrought iron gates and stepped beyond them, peering down the street into the darkness. What did he expect to see? he asked himself. He knew he was acting like a lovesick teenager, but the past week without Maria had been excruciating. His idea of walking around outside hadn't calmed him; if anything, he was even more agitated than he had been earlier. And was he hearing things? He was certain he could hear footsteps on the sidewalk, but it was too dark to see who was coming. Do I want her so badly, I'm imagining her? Georg asked himself. Straining to see into the darkness down the street, a moving figure slowly came into view.

Carrying her carpetbag in one hand and her guitar in the other, Maria stepped off the bus, the same one she had taken a week ago when she had fled during the party, and slowly made her way up the sidewalk toward the von Trapp villa. Georg's letter was in her coat pocket, a letter she knew she would treasure for the rest of her life.

Was she imagining things? Considering the late hour, she had figured that Georg's entire household would be asleep for the night and that her arrival would wake them all. But before she reached the gates to the villa, she could see a familiar-looking figure pacing along the sidewalk in the moonlight in front of the gates.

Georg was afraid his imagination was running away with him. He was wanting Maria so badly that he was sure he was seeing her coming up the sidewalk.

"Maria?" he called out softly into the darkness.

Dropping her carpetbag and guitar on the sidewalk, Maria ran toward Georg, almost afraid he would disappear if she couldn't reach him fast enough. "I'm here, Georg."


	4. Chapter 4

Hearing Maria's voice speaking what had to be some of the most reassuring words he had ever heard – "I'm here, Georg" – he finally realized he wasn't imagining things. She was really here!

Reaching out for her as she ran toward him, Georg wrapped Maria tightly in his embrace. Lifting her slightly off the ground, he spun around with her in his arms, still afraid to believe she had really come back to him.

Held tightly in Georg's arms, Maria finally knew this was real. He was real! Her captain was holding her as if he would never let her go!

Georg stopped his circular motion and gently set Maria on her feet. He reached up and touched her cheek, needing to feel the warmth of her skin, just to prove to himself that he wasn't dreaming. Tilting her face up slightly, Georg leaned over and kissed her, very gently at first, and then their lips clung to each other, not wanting to break contact.

Finally, they drew apart just enough to look in each other's eyes. "I love you," they said simultaneously.

Maria giggled slightly, loving just how in tune with each other they were. She reached up and stroked Georg's cheek, and then he turned his head and pressed a kiss against her hand.

Still holding Maria with one arm, Georg moved to pick up her things. He held her carpetbag with his left hand, his right arm still wrapped around her. Maria picked up her guitar with her right hand, her left arm tightly around Georg. Together they went through the wrought iron gates, which Georg stopped briefly to lock. Then, holding each other and carrying Maria's belongings, they walked back to the house.

Inside, Maria took her things upstairs to her room, while Georg made them each a cup of hot tea. Within a few minutes, they were snuggled together on the sofa in Georg's study.

While both knew they needed to talk, Georg would have been happy to simply sit and hold Maria, without either of them saying a word. They sat quietly for a minute or two, just thankful to be together again.

Sipping her tea, Maria broke their brief silence. "I am so, so sorry that I left you last week. It was wrong of me; please forgive me."

Georg gently removed the teacup from Maria's hand and set it on the coffee table, then drew her into a tight embrace. "Maria, you are forgiven, my darling. But please tell me why you left."

Pulling back slightly so she could look into Georg's eyes, Maria tried to explain. "As you said in your letter, I was shocked by what happened when we were dancing. Frightened, even, because I didn't really understand what was happening, and I didn't know how to handle it."

Stroking her hair, then her cheek, Georg smiled. "That makes two of us. I was totally off balance in that moment, not sure what was happening, either. I only knew I hadn't felt anything so intense in a very long time. Was that why you left? It's not like you to run away from things. You've never been shy about saying what's on your mind, so I'd have expected you to stay and deal with it, the way you do most things."

Maria looked down at her hands, knowing she needed to tell him about her encounter with the baroness, but hating to feel like she was tattling. Still, knowing Georg and the baroness had ended their relationship, she felt that she could safely tell him what had happened.

Sensing Maria's reluctance to say more, yet certain there was a lot more to be said, Georg took her hands in his and gently squeezed them. "What is it, darling?"

Looking up at Georg again, Maria drew a deep breath. "When I went upstairs to change clothes for the party that night, Baroness Schrader came to my room. At first, she said she just wanted to help me pick out something to wear. But then she said something about the dress I wore the night of the puppet show, that you couldn't keep your eyes off of me when I was wearing it. She went on to accuse me of being in love with you, and then said you thought you were in love with me. Her last comment was that you would get over me soon enough, because that's what men do. I was humiliated, so ashamed! I had no idea that I'd given away anything I was feeling for you, since I didn't understand it myself. Once I knew she had picked up on it, I knew I had embarrassed myself in front of everybody – you, the children, Max, and probably anybody who saw us dancing the Landler that night. All I could think of was that I had to get out of here, away from everybody, before I could embarrass myself again."

Georg was torn between anger at what Elsa had done and a desire to reassure Maria, and his need to comfort Maria easily won out. Dropping her hands, he drew her into his arms again, holding her close. "Maria, my darling, Elsa was wrong in so many ways. First of all, she was way out of line to say any of that to you. It was none of her business! And, I don't _think_ I'm in love with you; I _know_ I am, and it is not something I will 'get over'! And you have nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to be embarrassed! I love you, and if it weren't the middle of the night, I would want to walk outside and shout it to the whole world!"

Drawing back just enough to look at him, Maria responded, smiling, "I love you, too, Georg. And I would be out there shouting it right along with you!" She giggled slightly as she snuggled against him.

Still holding her tightly, Georg kissed the top of Maria's head and murmured, "The children are going to be in for a huge surprise tomorrow when they wake up to find you've come back!"

"Oh, Georg, how do you think they will feel about us? Will they be okay with the changes in our relationship?" Maria looked slightly apprehensive.

Georg gave her a reassuring smile. "I have no doubts at all that they will all be thrilled! They have missed you so much! And in many ways, you have already been a mother to them for quite awhile. You have nothing to worry about at all, I can assure you!"

"I'm so sorry Elsa scared you off," Georg said, holding Maria's hands in his again and gently rubbing them. "It breaks my heart to know that you were afraid, and all alone. Please, Maria, don't be afraid to ask me or tell me anything ever again! I promise to be completely honest with you, and I need the same from you."

"I won't be afraid again, Georg," she assured him. "Actually, as you said in your letter, I've been pretty honest with you all along, whether you wanted to hear it or not." She laughed softly.

Georg chuckled. "True enough. But you were telling me what I needed to hear." He hugged her tightly again.

"So, Georg, where do we go from here? You and me, I mean." Maria wasn't sure she was expressing her question quite right, but Georg understood.

"I want very much to marry you, but as I said in my letter, I will not pressure you for anything or try to rush you into anything. I think we should court for awhile, just spend more time getting to know each other, and let our relationship grow. Max is still here to serve as our chaperone, so everything will be proper in the eyes of the public. I just know that I want to be with you as much as possible, and if I could, I would hold you in my arms 24 hours a day, seven days a week!"

Maria laughed and hugged him tightly. How she wished what he had just said were possible! She could easily spend the rest of her life in his arms and be perfectly happy there!

Georg knew they both needed to go upstairs to their respective rooms for the night, but neither wanted to let go of the other yet. He pulled a leather footstool over in front of the sofa and urged Maria to put her feet up and get comfortable. Once she was settled, he put his feet up next to hers and leaned back against the throw pillows on the sofa. Still holding each other, they fell asleep.

Max woke early the next morning, certain he had heard voices and people going up and down the stairs during the night. Normally, he would have turned over and gone back to sleep, but curiosity got the better of him, and still in his robe and pajamas, he tiptoed downstairs to see if he could figure out what he had heard.

He found the door of Georg's study wide open, and there, on the sofa, Georg and Maria were fast asleep in each other's arms. Max smiled, happy to see that they had evidently worked things out last night. He knew he wasn't exactly doing his job as chaperone, but since the door was open, he decided to leave them alone. Knowing Georg's habit of waking early, he figured they would both be up and heading to their rooms before long.


	5. Chapter 5

Maria could tell she was sleeping in a strange position, but other than that, she felt warm and safe and surrounded by love. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw Georg asleep on the sofa next to her and smiled. It would have been all too easy to have believed that last night had been a dream, but the proof was right next to her, still holding her close to him.

Taking the opportunity to observe Georg, Maria gazed at his handsome face. He looked relaxed and peaceful, much the way she herself had felt upon awakening. Shifting slightly, she reached out and stroked his cheek. His lips curved into a small smile, bringing his dimples into view.

"Maria," he murmured, still asleep.

"Yes, darling. I think you'd better wake up. We fell asleep here in your study and it's almost daybreak now."

Georg's eyes cracked open. Focusing on Maria, he blinked a few times before sitting up straight. "You mean last night was real?"

Maria chuckled. Leaning over to kiss Georg, she whispered, " _Very_ real! Good morning, my darling."

Georg enjoyed their kiss before pulling back to respond, "Good morning to you, too, my love. And it _is_ a good morning when I can wake up holding you in my arms!"

Blushing slightly, Maria laughed again as Georg tightened his arms around her. "Yes, it's a good morning, but I don't think we need to be caught here by Max or the children."

Georg stretched his arms over his head and slowly stood. "You're right. Do you want to go up to your room and go back to sleep for awhile?"

Maria shook her head. "I slept beautifully in your arms last night and I feel completely rested. I'll go upstairs and shower and change and then be back down here for breakfast early for a change! I'd like to be in the dining room before the children come down so I can surprise them!"

Reaching for Maria's hand, Georg helped her to stand before kissing her again. "Sounds wonderful! They are going to be so excited!"

Knowing they had to go their separate ways to get ready for the day, they still didn't want to let go of each other. They walked upstairs together, and Georg gave Maria another lingering kiss as they stood outside the door to her room.

"See you at breakfast. I love you."

Breathless from the kiss they had shared, Maria still somehow managed to respond, "I love you, too, Georg. See you at breakfast."

An hour later, both Georg and Maria were showered and changed, Maria wearing the blue dress she knew Georg liked. She was a little on edge; though Georg had assured her that the children would be overjoyed to have her back, she was slightly uncertain. And how were they going to explain their new relationship, not only to the children, but also to Max?

Maria needn't have worried. Upon entering the dining room, she found both Georg and Max already seated at the table. When Georg stood and greeted Maria with a kiss and "good morning, darling," she knew he had obviously already explained things to Max.

Max gave her a knowing smile. "I knew you would be back. And early this morning I knew you _were_ back. I just told Georg about seeing the two of you asleep in his study just before dawn."

Maria gasped, blushing. "You did?" She sounded almost horrified. Though she and Georg had both been fully clothed and had done nothing more than hold each other and sleep, the idea of them sleeping together before marriage still sounded immoral.

"Relax, darling," Georg rushed to assure her. It was clear that we were doing nothing but sleeping, and our secret is safe with Max!"

Georg pulled out the chair next to him for Maria. She took her seat, and then asked, "How have the little ones managed to get themselves ready in the mornings while I've been gone? I feel like I should go see if they need any help, but I really want to surprise them when they come in here."

"Liesl and Louisa have helped Marta and Gretl every morning. Brigitta and the boys are pretty well self-sufficient. You obviously taught them all a lot when you were here before." Georg smiled, thinking of how perfect Maria was, not just for him, but for his whole family. She had been exactly what all seven children had needed and still needed.

Maria beamed at his compliment. "Thank you, darling. They are such a joy!"

At that moment, they all heard loud footsteps on the stairs and children's voices coming closer. Kurt, Gretl, and Marta were the first to enter the dining room, followed by the other four.

"Fraulein Maria!" they yelled together and ran around the table to where Maria sat. Maria stood, and was promptly grabbed into a huge hug by almost all the children at once.

The children all started trying to talk to Maria at the same time.

"When did you come back?"

"Why did you leave?"

"Are you going to stay forever?" this from Gretl.

"We missed you!"

"I'm so glad you're back!"

"Please don't ever leave us again!"

Once she had hugged and kissed each child, Maria smiled as they all tried to shout over each other. "If you'll all sit down, I'll try to answer you." She laughed, loving their enthusiasm. She was so happy that she had been able to surprise them!

"I came back late last night," Maria answered. "As for why I left, it's a long story that I'll have to explain later. I missed all of you, too, and I'm very happy to be back! And as for how long I'll be staying," she turned to smile at Georg, "you'll have to ask your father."

"Can she stay forever, Father?" Gretl asked.

Georg smiled as he stood and looked around the table at his excited children. "Well, children, that depends somewhat on you. All of you know that Baroness Schrader left last night to go home to Vienna to stay, and that she and I will not be seeing each other anymore. However, if it's all right with all of you, I would like very much to court your dear Fraulein Maria." He took Maria's hand and kissed it, causing her to blush as they heard another round of excited gasps from the children.

"For real, Father?" Brigitta asked. "You mean…?" The young girl understood what her father was saying, but evidently wasn't quite sure how to express her question.

Georg saved her the trouble. "I know all of you love her, and I finally realized that I love her, too. We are not going to rush into anything and will just take things slowly. Your Uncle Max will stay on with us, too. The summer will soon come to an end, and I very much need Fraulein Maria's help to get all of you back in school when the time comes. And all of us, even with school starting, should have plenty of time to just enjoy being together."

Maria looked around the table at the beaming faces. She knew the little ones probably didn't quite get what was going on, but hopefully they would come to understand over the next several weeks. All they cared about was that their fraulein was back, and all was right in their world again.

Georg and Maria eventually got the excited children to calm down enough to eat breakfast. Both were reasonably sure that the children were going to monopolize Maria's time all day long, so as soon as breakfast was finished, Georg leaned over and quietly said to Max, "Keep them occupied for a few minutes, will you?"

Max nodded as Georg took Maria's hand and both stood up from their chairs. "Excuse us for a moment," Georg said as he led Maria from the dining room.

Inside the parlor, Georg pulled Maria into his arms for a deep, lingering kiss, which left her breathless.

"I was about to go crazy if I couldn't kiss you again," he admitted.

Maria chuckled as she tried to catch her breath and rested her head on his shoulder. They held each other for a few moments, not needing to say anything.

"I know they're going to want every minute of your time today," Georg finally said. "Which is why I thought we should steal a few minutes while we can."

Drawing back slightly so she could look into his eyes, Maria smiled. "Georg, I'm a bit torn, I'll have to admit. I would love nothing more than to spend all day with you, but I also want to spend it with the children. I have missed all of you so much!"

"It goes without saying that we missed you, too. Terribly. Go enjoy your day with them, and we can talk later. I love you."

"I love you, too, Georg. So very much!" They kissed again and parted. Maria headed back into the dining room to collect the children, and Georg went to his study.

Back in the dining room, Maria found all seven children still very excited. "How about a picnic today?" she asked, figuring they needed plenty of exercise to run off some of their excess energy.

The children responded with delighted cheers. Maria asked the cook and Frau Schmidt to put together a picnic basket for them, then suggested they should all change into play clothes since they would be spending the day outside. "Not the ones I made from the drapes, though," she added, laughing. She was certain that Georg would laugh now, too, if he saw them in those clothes again, but they all now had plenty of other play clothes and didn't need to use the ones she had made.

"Can Father come with us?" Gretl asked.

Maria would have loved nothing more than to have Georg join them for the day, but he had seemed determined to give her and the children this day to spend together.

"We can ask him," Maria answered, so before going upstairs to change clothes, they sought out Georg in his study.

His eyes lit up as he saw Maria and his children, so happy to be together again. "What are the plans for today?" he asked.

"A picnic," Maria responded. "The weather is so nice, and I thought a day of running and playing would be good for all of us."

"Will you come with us, Father?" Gretl asked.

Georg smiled at his youngest child. "I would love to, but I got very behind on a lot of my work last week, so I'm going to spend the day in here catching up. We will have many more opportunities to go on picnics together, so I will join you another time."

"We're going upstairs to change into our play clothes now," Marta added.

Georg couldn't stop the smirk that caused his mouth to twitch. Maria blushed and swallowed a giggle. "Not the ones I made from the drapes," she assured him. They all had a big laugh at that, and Georg grabbed Maria for another kiss before she and the children headed upstairs.

The day turned out to be perfect for a picnic. Maria took the children up into the mountains, where they played, sang, ate the lunch the cook and Frau Schmidt had packed for them, and tried to make up for the past week, when they had been apart. Liesl tried a time or two to quietly talk to Maria about Rolf, but it wasn't easy to get time alone with her, as all the others were wanting Maria's attention as well. Maria promised Liesl that the would have a longer, private conversation at home later on. Louisa, Brigitta, and the boys played ball, while Marta and Gretl, settled on the picnic blanket on either side of Maria, just happy to be with her again. Eventually, Maria took out her guitar and they sang some of the songs she had taught them earlier in the summer, then tried some new ones. All of them were tired but very happy when they headed back home late in the afternoon.

Georg and Max greeted the group when they arrived back at the villa. Maria's eyes locked with Georg's, and, not caring who was watching, she ran to him and threw her arms around him as he kissed her. As much as she had loved spending the day with the children, she had missed Georg terribly.

"If that's the kind of greeting I'm going to get, maybe I should send you away more often," Georg teased.

Maria blushed. "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too, darling, very much."

After dinner that evening, the tired children were happy to go upstairs and get ready for bed. Maria helped Marta and Gretl bathe and change into their nightgowns, then left the older ones to get ready for bed on their own. Georg came upstairs and helped her tuck the little ones into bed, and once Gretl and Marta were asleep and the older ones were ready for bed, Maria and Georg kissed them all goodnight and went back downstairs to Georg's study.

Snuggling together on the sofa, they simply enjoyed each other's company without saying anything for a few minutes. Maria was amazed at how naturally they seemed to do that; they were able to communicate so much to each other without saying a word.

Finally, Maria looked up at Georg and chuckled slightly. "They were all exhausted. I think I wore them out today."

Georg smiled at her. "And unless I'm wrong, they wore you out, too."

Maria laughed. "Yes, but it's a good kind of tired. We had a wonderful day. I hope next time you'll come with us."

"I will," Georg promised. "But I had a lot of work I needed to do, and I also knew they would want you to themselves for the day."

The next few weeks passed quickly and before any of them could realize it, it was time for school to start. Maria was glad she was there to help, since it seemed that all seven of them had challenges adjusting to the new school year. Georg was thankful she was there, too.

"I never would have managed all their issues by myself," he told Maria, a few days into the new school year. "I am so thankful you are here and that they all trust you so much!"

Maria squeezed his hand. "I am very happy to be here and am just as thankful that they all feel safe confiding in me. But you sell yourself short. I believe you would have done beautifully on your own."

"Do you seriously believe Liesl and Louisa would talk to me about boys?" Georg laughed.

"Well, probably not." Maria laughed along with him.

With the children back in school, Georg and Maria now had a lot of time to themselves during the weekdays. Max was always around, of course, but he knew when the couple needed time to themselves, as there was much they needed to discuss.

True to his word, Georg did not rush or pressure Maria into anything, but he was indeed very serious about intending to marry her at some point. For the time being, he just eased her into more of a role with the children than she had had before, and also had Frau Schmidt teach her a bit about how things were done in running the house.

And they spent a lot of time just holding each other and enjoying being together. Maria didn't ask Georg again where their relationship was going, as he made it clear daily with his affectionate attention to Maria and frequent declarations of love. She, too, eventually began to envision marrying Georg and spending the rest of their lives together.

One evening in late October, Georg called them all into the parlor after dinner. Maria got her guitar out and they sang a few songs. But before Maria put the guitar away, Georg, who had been sitting next to her on the sofa, got up and stood in front of her, then went down on one knee.

Taking Maria's hand, Georg began, "Maria, you have made me the happiest man in the world in recent weeks and months, and I love you more than I ever imagined was possible. Will you marry me?"

There was a collective gasp from the children, and though Maria had had an idea this was coming at some point, she was caught off guard. Still, she knew what her answer would be.

"Yes, Georg, I will marry you!"

They stood and kissed as the children cheered.

The next weeks and months were filled with wedding planning, and though it made things a bit rushed with the planning, Georg and Maria were married a few days after Christmas. Maria had especially wanted to marry during the Christmas season, as it was such a festive and special time of year.

The wedding was beautiful, with Max as Georg's Best Man, Liesl as Maria's Maid of Honor, and Gretl and Marta as the flower girls. Maria was a beautiful bride, and Georg was breathtakingly handsome in his naval uniform. After a reception during which the bride and groom were finally able to complete the Landler dance they never got to finish all those months ago, Max took the children home, and Georg and Maria left on a month-long honeymoon.

A couple of weeks into their honeymoon, Maria silently watched her husband as he was sleeping. Though they had learned a lot about each other during the time they were courting, they were still learning new things about each other every day.

After that first night, when they had fallen asleep in each other's arms in Georg's study, Maria had loved the way Georg had smiled at her the next morning when she had touched his face. Now, she knew, that was his normal reaction anytime she touched him when he was sleeping. She loved his smile and seeing his dimples appear.

Another habit of Georg's that Maria loved was his total inability to sleep if he didn't have his arms around her. And yet another was that he wouldn't even walk into the next room without telling her he loved her. Thinking back to her first day at the von Trapp villa, Maria never would have imagined that Georg would be such a sweet man, with such adorably cute ways about him.

Reaching out, she stroked Georg's cheek and watched his dimples come into view as he smiled. His eyes cracked open, and he smiled broader as he focused on her face.

"You're so cute," she told him.

His eyes widened. "Cute?" he asked in mock horror.

Maria laughed. "Yes, you are absolutely adorable when your dimples show, which they do every time you smile," she declared. "And I love it that most of your smiles are reserved for me!"

"Definitely, my darling. You deserve every smile, every kiss, everything good I can possibly give you."

Pulling Maria into his arms, Georg kissed her lingeringly. Both knew that they were exactly where they were supposed to be – together!

END


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